Boll-weevil catcher.



E. O. HUBBARD.

BOLL WEEVIL CATCHER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27, 912.

Patented Feb. 11, 1913.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

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Mugs s E. O. HUBBARD BOLL WEEVIL GATCHER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2711912.

TL Q5S Q3EB Patented Feb. 11, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ATTORNEYS the longitudinal members 1, the rear cross Each of the longitudinal members 1 carries Etienne o. HUBBARD, or

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BULL-WEEVIL GATC Application filed June 27, 1912. Serial Ito. 706,5340.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE O. 'HUBBARD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Raymond, in the county of Hinds and State of Mississippi, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Boll-Weevil Catchers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in boll weevil catchers, and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a device for catching boll weevils, and for simultaneously cultivating the cotton plants.

A further object of my invention is to provide a novel form of means for knocking the boll w'cevil from the cotton plants without injuring the latter.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device which may be manufactured cheaply, and which is not liable to get out of order.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, in which,

Figure 1 is a side view of the device; Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof; Fig.3 is a rear view; and Fig. 4 is a front view.

In carrying out my invention I provide a pair of frames which are arranged to bear cultivator teeth. These frames consist of members 2 and the front cross members 3.

a front cultivator-tooth 4, and a rear cultivator tooth 5, these teeth being preferably held by means of U-shaped clamp members 7 secured by bolts 8. As will be seen from Figs. 2, 3 and 4, there are two of these frames. They are pivotally held together at their front ends by means of a curved rod.9 while a similar curved rod 10 is pivotally attached to the frames at their rear ends.

Each frame member has extending from it two uprights, such as those shown at 11 and 12. These uprights are provided with hooked portions 11 and 12 respectively ar ranged to receive the bails 13 and 14 of the pans 15 and 16 res ectivcly. The latter may be made of tin, ga vanizcd iron, or any suitable material. The pan 15 is provided at its front end with a curved pro ecting portion 15", while the pan 16 has a similar projeeting portion 16*. To each frame is attached a handle 17.

Between the front curved rod or arch '9 and the rear arch 10 are disposed wires 18 and 19 upon which is stretched a fabric top 20 made-of canvas or other suitable material. The purpose will be explained later.

- The front part of the frames is extended, and is rovided with bars 21 and 22 respective y to which horses may be attached.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood.

The device is drawn along so that the arches straddle a row of the plants The cultivator teeth 4 and 5 cultivate between the rows. The stems or stalks of the plants pass between the forwardly extending projections 15 and 16? and between the pans 15 and 16 which are pivotally suspended from the uprights 11 and 12. The tops of the plants are engaged by the canvas top 20 which will cause the plants to be shaken or knocked as it is assed along, thereby knocking ofi the bolh weevils intothe ans. At the same time the ground aroun the plant is being broken up by the teeth of the cultivator. As has been stated, each of the frames 1 is pivotally' suspended to the arches '9 and 10. This permits the frames to be tilted soas to cultivate a row which is on a side hill. If for any other reason the ground is not level, the cultivator frame will be tilted at'an angle, but the pan above. it will swing close to the lant and will always remain horizontal. oreover, the pans being on ivots may swing outwardly where a large p ant is encountered so as to permit the plant to pass between the pans, but will swing again as soon as the plant has passed, and will at all times be as near the stalk of the plant as it is possible to get it. The boll weevils being knocked off into the pans may then be carried to a place where they may bedestroyed b burning or otherwise. It will beseen t at the cultivator teeth have a double function, t'o-wit; that of the cultivator, and also as means for supporting the ans which catch the boll weevils. With this device, it is only necessary to go through the field to cultivate it, and to catch the boll weevils at one operation.

1 claim -1. In a device for catching boll weevils,-

gether.

2. In a device for catching boll 'weevils,

a pair of curved rods, a-pairof frames -pi votally suspended between said curved rods, said'frames bein spacedapart to pass on opposite sides '0 a row of plants, a pan pivotally suspended on each ofsaid frames, and cultivator teeth attachedto'the bottoms of said frames.

3. In a boll weevil catcher, a front and a rear arch, apair of frames pivotally mount ed between said frontand said rear arch, I

suspended from each frame, and means or connecting sald frames to- 1,oas,ose

' cultivator teeth carried by the bottoms of said frames, an upri ht at'each end of each of said frames, an a pan pivotally suspended from the uprights above each frame. 4. In a boll weevil catcher, a front and a rear arch, a pair of frames pivotally mounted between said front and said rear arch, cultivator teeth carried by the bottoms of said frames, an upright at each end of each of said frames a pan pivotally suspended from the uprights above each frame, means carried by said arches forknocking the boll weevils into the pans, said means comprising rods extending from one arch to the other, and a canvas top carried by said rods.

EUGENE O. HUBBARD, Witnesses:

W. S. NEAL, A. H. SIVLEY. 

